Hello,
Is Dwarf Mugo Pine good for containers?
Is it ok to plant 3 Dwarf mugo #2CG in one planter?
Planter Size: 15” H x 38” W x 15” D
Thanks
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners. Mugo pines are appropriate for containers. To decide whether you can fit three plants in the container check to see if the container is the twice the size of the three root balls combined. Use a commercial soil-less mix formulated for container plants. The plants will need to be watered frequently and fertilized every other watering with a weak nutrient solution which is a fifth of the recommended amount of fertilizer specified on the product label for monthly application.
The challenge is maintaining the shrubs over the winter. It is important that the plants are watered regularly up to the point when the ground freezes and during any periods when the temperature rises above zero. Resume a regular watering schedule once the temperature rises for the season. Placement of the container during the winter is another consideration. Ideally the container is placed in a location where the shrubs receive partial sun as opposed to full sun and have protection from the wind. Also avoid leaving the container on concrete or stone as these surfaces conduct cold to the plants. For more information about the care of evergreens in containers please see:
https://ask.extension.org/questions/472795
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/Portals/0/Gardening/Gardening%20Help/Factsheets/Growing%20Evergreens%20in%20Containers52.pdf
http://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantinfo/faq/overwintering_evergreens_containers